Not with Haste
by LiveLoveLikeMe
Summary: AU. Cora's anger built with each day until she could no longer hold on- the curse would have to be cast. What she failed to account for was the arrival of the Savior 28 years later and the way said Savior and her son would take to her dearest pet, Regina. Swan Queen, contains Black Queen incest. See inside for list of warnings. Multi-Chap NaNoWriMo.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time.

**Warnings: PLEASE READ**- This story contains numerous events that could be possibly triggering, including violence, abuse dub/noncon, psychological manipulation, murder, torture, and incest. I really hope I got everything in there, as this story does have darker moments.

**Warning 2**: This is a Swan Queen story, but there will be graphic scenes between Cora and Regina, especially in the beginning. You have been warned of the Black Queen incest.

_Author's note:_ This was my 2013 NaNoWriMo story. I do hope you all enjoy it; this was my chance to explore Regina and her interactions had she not been the one to cast the curse. The entire thing is not dark, but there are many dark subjects touched upon, so I do hope you took the time to read all my warnings. I will try to post them at the beginning of each chapter as a reminder.

This is a Swan Queen story, but be patient. There are many things to set up, but I promise there will be a great deal with them later on. The Story will go back and forth between the past in Fairy Tale Land and the present in Storybrooke. Rather than making half the story in italics, as that can get annoying, I have opted to write the location at the beginning of each section. Let me know if that works or not, as I can easily change this for your reading convenience. Enjoy!

Thank you to lunafanning, my lovely and very talented beta reader.

* * *

Chapter One

_Fairy Tale Land: Past_

A loud creak could be heard as it echoed throughout the stable, the result of quickening winds knocking the door around on its hinges. Those in the room didn't hear the sounds, though, as a stronger wailing took precedence the moment Regina looked down and saw the lifeless body of her fiancé sprawled out across the cold, straw-covered floors. Daniel wasn't breathing; his chest had ceased to rise and fall at a steady pace— at any pace— and Regina found herself utterly helpless with what to do.

She had heard of one thing, one final piece of magic that could defy all odds— True Love's Kiss. It was said to work wonders, to bend the laws of nature and reunite those destined to remain tied to each other forever. Looking down, Regina wondered if her own chapped lips would be enough to jump-start such a resurrection.

Mother's words echoed around in her mind, spinning tales of how she was worthless, a failure, and would never amount to anything if she didn't quit chasing these silly dreams. And really, Regina realized, love must be nothing more than a silly dream, because when she bent down and pressed their lips together in a final act of desperation, leeching the remaining warmth from his still body, she learned that nothing would occur.

If she couldn't even wake her love from his final slumber, couldn't even have a love strong enough to transcend life and death, then what could Regina actually do? What worth still remained within her if she failed at the simplest of tasks? Daniel was her everything, her biggest source of happiness in a life so dark, and without him she was nothing more than a hollow vessel.

"You foolish girl, get up!" Cora ordered, drawing Regina's attention away from her dead fiancé.

A strong grasp clenched around the collar of her cloak, yanking her up to her feet before Regina even had time to blink. Her eyes were still on Daniel, reaching out for him in some sort of twisted last attempt, like maybe he would wake up on a delay. Instead, Cora's other hand gripped onto Regina's chin, turning her head so they were nose to nose.

"Stop groveling like some child, Regina, it's time you learn exactly what is expected of you and do as I say."

"But, Mother," Regina cried.

"There will be no arguments, Regina. See that?" Cora twisted Regina's body, so that she was forced to look down at Daniel's corpse. Pulling her in close, Cora drew near and whispered into her ear, hot breath tingling against Regina's chilled skin. "The stable boy is no more. I crushed his heart to dust between my fingers, and now he is nothing but the dirt beneath your shoes. He is scum on the path, and ladies don't step in scum, Regina. Caring for him would only make you into nothing."

Though her voice became softer as she spoke, Cora's grip only tightened around Regina. The young girl could barely turn her head without choking for air, and knew struggling would prove worthless. Cora wouldn't kill her, but she could so very easily do things to make Regina wish she was already dead.

The hand on Regina's jaw loosened, moving to gently slide against the side of the young girl's face. Regina trembled under the motion, feeling how Mother's fingernails pressed into her flesh just hard enough to make her aware— one slip up and they could so easily plunge in and mar that pretty little face without regret.

Regina froze when she felt Cora's thumb reach up to wipe away some of her tears, the salty residue all she had left as a painful reminder of her fiancé's death. Tears were weakness, and Cora despised weakness, yet the older woman didn't seem especially angered by their presence.

That was probably the most disconcerting part of it all; Cora didn't even seem fazed by their presence. Regina knew something wasn't right, but she couldn't put her finger on just what it might be.

"Do you want to be nothing, Regina?" she spat out through clenched teeth, mouth so close to Regina's own that she could swear their breaths were mixing in the chilling air.

"No, mother," she answered obediently.

Cora snarled at her, moving closer until her lips barely grazed against Regina's while she spoke, brushing against the pink flesh with each word. "Then you will be a good girl."

Regina wanted to nod, but found herself still unable to move in Cora's vice grip. Instead, she mouthed the word "yes" as her lips ghosted along her mother's. The answer was barely out before Cora was pulling her in, pressing their lips together in a commanding way that left no room for resistance.

Regina counted the seconds of the kiss, hoping it would soon end after the first three. Mothers were not supposed to kiss their daughters in such a way, yet Cora seemed reluctant to relinquish her hold. A hand slipped up from Regina's collar and into her hair, gnarling into the brown curls and braids quite painfully, and Cora twisted and tugged her fingers until Regina kissed back, a small cry causing her lips to part just enough for Cora to take a swipe with her tongue before pulling back.

"I'll be good," Regina plead, unshed tears forming in her eyes out of fear for what would come next. "I promise, I'll be good."

"Yes, you will. But how can I trust you'll keep your word to me after this farce, hmm? I can't have my child thinking she can just run off with some frivolous stable hand whenever she feels the urge." Cora spoke with venom, eyes ablaze as she forced eye-contact on Regina.

"I'll do anything to show you, I promise. I can be a good girl." Again, her hair was tugged out, eliciting a small cry of pain.

"And do you know how you'll show me honesty this time, Regina? After all, you already lied once, and that's quite unbecoming of a lady." Cora made a tsking sound, voice rising in feigned pity as she spoke. "How will you prove yourself to me now?"

Regina froze, trying to come up with something her mother might want of her to prove her loyalty. Crossing Cora once had been a risk, now resulting in the death of her Daniel, and she couldn't dare the thought of the consequences should she do so again. Cora's grip on her hair and her cheek was just too strong— on her heart in a sense as well— and there was no breaking free.

She was owned, Property of Cora Mills, and always would be.

"Just tell me how and I'll show you I'm yours, Mother. I'll marry the King!" Regina tried, desperate for an answer other than the underlying darkness she knew Cora desired most.

If there was one thing Cora Mills wanted, it was power, and Regina was well aware. She'd seen it all her life, in the magic used and the towering glares— every caress that looked like comfort felt to Regina like a leash, a warning to hold her in from stepping too far away. The hand still gnarled into her hair, twisting and pulling each time she hesitated, was a calculated signal. There was no getting out of line in Regina's life, because every step was carefully guarded, carefully monitored, and she was the property of the woman who wanted it all.

King Leopold, and the royal marriage that would entail, just might be enough to quench the older woman's constant thirst, no matter how much the idea of being forced into wedlock with such an elderly man repulsed Regina.

"Oh, Regina, you think I still want you to marry him? A King wouldn't want you now, not after you've been with such filth. You're worth nothing to him this way." Cora's tone was condescending as she sized Regina up, eyes racking over her small body in disapproval.

"Mother, please, I never-"

"Enough!" Cora barked, anger quickly taking over the somewhat calm disposition she had been yielding for the past few minutes. "Dirty little whores like you don't get to speak back."

Her mouth opened to retaliate, but quickly snapped shut at the realization that she would be disobeying a direct order. Regina felt disgusting and shameful, though knew she had done nothing wrong. It didn't matter, because Cora's words were hard and they stuck, sharply piercing her with the thought that the truth was irrelevant.

"What will we tell the King about the wedding being off?" she asked tentatively, nervous at the rage still being directed towards her.

Instead of the expected pain, Regina was stunned to hear a whimsical laughter bubbling out through Cora's parted lips, causing her mother's torso to shake against her. "Oh, Regina, the wedding isn't off, foolish girl."

Regina frowned, brow crinkling in confusion. "I don't understand."

"It's really quite simple, dear. When the King awakens tomorrow, he'll be notified of your disappearance, and how the grungy stable boy kidnapped you in the night," Cora explained, a sinister smirk in place.

"I don't understand, Mother. How can I marry the King if I'm missing?" Regina's voice was light and innocent, showing her childishness in full swing as she grasped for some sort of understanding.

"He won't be marrying you, slut. You're no longer fit to be Queen," Cora spat.

"Then how will there still be a wedding, Mother?"

"Really, Regina, it's not hard to follow. But in case you still can't get it through that thick little head of yours, you'll have to start calling me by a new name soon."

"And what is that?" she asked, fearful of the answer.

"Your Majesty."

As soon as the words were spoken, Regina felt herself becoming wrapped up by a thick cloud of smoke, sucking the air out of her lungs as everything spun and blurred. She felt sick, unused to the magical transportation, but the nausea did nothing to aid her when she realized her predicament.

Cora no longer stood in front of Regina. In fact, no one did. She saw nothing but darkness, scampering rats and drips of water the only things loud enough to penetrate the heavy silence.

It was clear to her what this was— the dungeon kept hidden under their home for Cora's personal use. Regina was aware of its existence, but never before had she been treated to a glimpse of the dank place. Happiness seemed to rot within these walls, and hope disintegrated with every fallen tear, which Regina finally allowed herself to cry.

Daniel was dead, and Mother was about to fall into a dangerous amount of power, even for her. Regina was certain, in this moment, that her life now belonged to Cora and no one else. In fact, as she thought back to the kiss and the way Cora had reacted to Daniel's presence in the stable before, perhaps it always had.

* * *

_Storybrooke: Present_

As Cora walked up the brick pathway to 108 Mifflin Street, the constant tapping of heels the only sign of life in her steps, she saw a glimpse of someone inside walking past the doorway. _Foolish girl, out to get herself seen again, no doubt,_ Cora thought with an angry snarl, quickening her steps until she reached the front door.

There were two locks to get in, which meant two to get out, as she always used keys to lock and unlock her doors. It made a more affective barricade against the outside world, helping to keep her pet from accidentally escaping. Cora certainly wouldn't want a travesty like that to happen.

"Regina!" she called out, dropping her briefcase onto the marble floor with a thick thud just inside the doorway. She was not in the mood to play games today, and that would soon become apparent to the foolish girl if she thought she could get away with anything under her nose.

Today marked 28 years from the day Cora first cast the dark curse, and it was just as wonderful as the rest of them had been. She enjoyed the monotony of life, watching everyone submit to her authority as mayor. She was feared by all, especially one person in particular— her daughter. When she brought everyone over with the curse, the question of what to do with Regina had arose. She didn't want to just leave her back home; where would the fun in that be? She had also considered changing the girl's name and identity, but decided there was no need. Regina was hers, all hers, and no one else was permitted to even set their eyes upon her.

She had wiped the girl's memories of home, but the new ones put in place were much more delightful to Cora. She had taken great care with Regina's in particular, weaving together with precision a mixture of voices in the shadows, of asylums where she was made to feel crazy, and of the tragic fall of her love in a whole new way. Her daughter here was nothing more than a damaged vessel, always lost in thought. Seeing her so hurt, so broken, was exactly what Cora loved about it all. Regina was a lost little thing, always wanting Mother's comfort, always willing to please her and beg for it, night after night.

Regina Mills was nothing more than a pet for her own play, and it was a marvelous feeling for Cora.

"Regina! Come here, girl, now!" Cora yelled again, angered by the lack of presence the first time.

"Yes, Mother?" a small voice called out from the kitchen doorway.

"You should know better than to keep me waiting."

"I apologize, Mother."

Regina turned to the side, coughing roughly into a clenched fist, and Cora could hear the way her lungs rattled with each shaky breath. Twenty-eight years locked in a house could have a poor effect on a person, and while her curse had slowed down the process, there was no doubt in Cora's mind that it contributed to Regina's weak frame, pale skin, and often generally poor health. She was currently inflicted with a cough, and had been ever since Cora released her from her last stint in the basement two days prior. The room was just cold and damp enough to constitute a prison, though Cora missed some of the finer aspects, like the dogs and horny castle prison guards.

"Disgusting," she hissed, cringing at the sound while Regina continued to try and get her breathing under control. "I let you out and this is how you repay me?"

"N-no. I'm sorry," the meek girl said quietly, looking down at her feet.

Cora shoved her aside, strutting into the kitchen to begin preparing dinner. She walked over to a cupboard, finding a box of long noodles inside, and prepared them to be boiled on the stove. Spaghetti would do nicely, she thought, with a tasteful red sauce.

"And what have I told you about wandering around, Regina? One of those nosy townspeople could have easily spotted you through the window. What were you doing down here?" she snapped.

Regina turned, coughing again into her elbow before muttering something about having needed a glass of water before. Again, Cora's mind was brought to her daughter's sickly health. Though she was physically an adult, Regina still retained her long locks, usually kept in braids whenever Cora had the time to do them, and her demeanor matched the childish style. She had deep circles under her eyes, which stuck out exceedingly against the lightness of her sallow skin— all a result of the lack of sun, Cora imagined.

"You'll have to be punished." Cora sighed, moving about the kitchen to get the ingredients for her sauce.

"Yes, Mother."

"After all, what if someone had seen you, Regina? Then I'd have to send you back, and I think we both know you wouldn't like that to happen, right darling? All those straps and the long needles they kept poking into your flesh, leaving it pink and bruised. And the screaming, all night long when they brought out the electric machines. You don't want to go back there, do you, Regina?"

Though she was facing away, Cora smirked through the calmness of her own voice as she spoke. The place in reference had never existed, at least not for Regina, but in her mind it would be as real as anything else. She saw the haunted look cross her daughter's face at every mention, felt the fear practically radiating off her at the thought of having to return, and often used it to extract obedience quite effectively.

"No!" Regina answered quickly, voice rising just above a whisper, which was the closest thing to a rise Cora could get out of Regina anymore. Her breathing quickened, made known by the continuous rattling that made its way to Cora's ears.

"Then in the future you should listen. Now, come here." Cora had everything cooking on the stove by now, and felt confident in walking away for a moment. She faced Regina, crooking a finger at the woman while she slowly made her way over.

Cora reached up, brushing a hand across Regina's cheek. The flushed weakness that marred her once beautifully tan skin as a result of her captivity was starting to cut at her nerves. "Would you like to get outside, Regina?" she asked softly, running her thumb along Regina's bottom lip.

"Yes, Mother." Regina looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"Your skin is getting too pale, you need some sun. Perhaps it would be beneficial to let you out for an hour a day. If you behave, that is." Cora looked at her pointedly, stopping the movement of her thumb. She clenched her hand around Regina's jaw, holding her head in place so the meek girl couldn't look away.

"Won't I be seen?" Regina asked carefully, and Cora could tell her mind was flickering to the thought of being caught and brought back to the asylum.

Cora mused over the thought for a moment, considering the chances of the girl being found. Regina wouldn't dare run off, far too much dependent on her mother's love. And even if she tried, Cora could easily place the collar around her neck. The backyard of the 108 Mifflin Street manor was completely surrounded by hedges, blocking out the view from any prying eyes. Regina was no fun as weak as she was, and sunlight couldn't hurt.

"If you stay where I tell you, you'll be fine." The words were far from reassuring though, and Cora's eyes took on a threatening depth.

"Thank you, Mother," was Regina's nearly robotic answer. She spoke always with a form, always without emotion, because Cora didn't like to see emotion in her daughter. She liked to punish emotion and all the weakness it entailed. Her daughter was uselessly weak enough as it was.

Anger building up again, Cora realized she had yet to punish Regina for her little indiscretion. She couldn't let her think she'd get away with disobeying by letting her off once, so Cora smirked as she thought of what she could do.

Tightening her grip around Regina's jaw firmly enough to elicit a gasp, Cora moved in, covering the soft lips of her prey with her own. Regina stilled in her arms at first, presumably confused by the punishment, which made a heat in Cora's lower extremities swirl dangerously. She didn't even consider a kiss punishment anymore, because she _liked_ it. Regina knew where she belonged, and wanted it enough to beg.

The kiss wasn't Cora's punishment, though. She could feel the moment Regina started to realize what was, because she tensed up, so close to the edge of pushing away. Cora could feel how Regina jerked against her, could taste the tears running down her cheeks in pain as they reached the space where their lips touched. Cora's lungs were sturdy and strong, able to withstand at least a minute more. But Regina's were contracting in her chest, burning with the need to cough, and Cora would not let up. She held on tightly and wound one hand around to the back of Regina's head, shoving her closer to eliminate any possible space between them.

Regina jerked and shook in her hold, feeling like she might burst, yet Cora still didn't let up until her own need for air began to become a problem. As soon as she released her hold and let her glossed lips pop away, Regina began to choke. Cora watched in satisfaction as the younger woman couldn't choose between coughing and breathing, letting her fall to the floor when her legs gave out during the struggle.

After watching her daughter helplessly gasp for air and cough raggedly on the kitchen floor, Cora sighed, realizing she was in no state to attend dinner. She bent over, crooking her fingers in a vice grip around Regina's upper arm, and tugged until she was half standing from the force. Not caring to give her and her weak lungs a second to catch up, Cora yanked her towards the open basement door, marching her down the stairs and leaving once she'd propped the still gasping girl against the railing at the bottom.

The door slammed stridently behind her.

A loud thud could be heard, presumably the sound of Regina's body collapsing onto the ground at the bottom of the stairs, but she couldn't be bothered to care. The sauce was beginning to bubble and deserved more of her attention.

* * *

In another part of town, a strange yellow bug passed the sign reading "Welcome to Storybrooke," and the driver of said vehicle sighed in annoyance.

"Mom, are we there yet?" Henry asked, bouncing in his seat on the passenger side.

Emma smiled, trying to feign excitement for her son. He still viewed this as an exciting new adventure, and she wouldn't dare try to take that from him. It was better that he didn't know the real reason for the sudden move, that a man she'd been following had gotten too close and now wanted her head on a platter. They would be safe here, protected from the mainstream city life and all the horrors it entailed. Henry might actually start to get a decent education, if the school was anything like she'd read, and it looked like Emma might actually get a steady job as the Sheriff's Deputy.

Small town life sounded boring and droll, but maybe that was just what the two of them needed for a change.

"Yeah, kid. Looks like we're here."

* * *

_So, what did you think? I'm not entirely sure if I should keep posting this story on this website, due to the content, so it may end up only on my AO3 account._


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters but I wish I did.

Warnings: PLEASE READ- This story contains numerous events that could be possibly triggering, including violence, abuse dub/noncon, psychological manipulation, murder, torture, and incest. Swan Queen is coming but there is and will be Black Queen involved.

Author's Notes: I am sorry this has taken so long. I was hoping to get it back from my Beta, but I already waited a week longer than I was planning to, and I didn't want to put this off any longer. It has been proofread many times, so hopefully my edit-job on my own work is up to par. This entire chapter is flashback, but don't worry, Emma comes in again next chapter.

* * *

_Fairy Tale Land: Past_

Cora stalked down the corridor, the clicking of her heels echoing off the vast stone walls with each angry pace. It wasn't difficult for Cora to feign anger and worry. She had a goal, a means of getting there, and a wicked grin that was enough to fool any man once. Today was simply a matter of playing the part of a distraught mother, and it was a feat she would take on with grace.

"Henry!" she bellowed, slamming open the doors to the dining hall where they were feeding the King and his daughter as their royal guests. Everyone startled at the sound, her husband especially, who flinched in a manner that was almost telling of just how much he feared her. She would have to punish him for that later.

"What is it, Dear?" he managed to squeak out, standing from his seat as she approached. Before responding, she took her spot at the head of the table, turning her impatient stare on him until he resumed sitting, only after she'd been respectfully seated in her perch.

"It's Regina. I can't find her anywhere, and I just fear…" she trailed off, lacing worry into her tone just enough to pique the attention of all surrounding ears.

"Maybe she's in the stables?" young Snow piped up, an eager smile on her face. Cora imagined her mind was thrumming full of true love's kisses and rainbows with unicorns dancing all around. It was sickening, really, and she needed to shoot it down immediately.

"I'm afraid not, dear Snow. I've already had a servant go check." Cora sighed, drooping her shoulders slightly in defeat. She had, in fact, had a servant go check, knowing exactly what would be found once they did.

"Nothing has turned up?" Henry finally said, his mousy personality doing little more than grating on her nerves. There was one part of this plan she was more than ready to get started on, especially now.

"I don't know. I'm still waiting for them to return, as I sent one back to double check. I know that insolent stable boy can't seem to keep his eyes where they belong, so perhaps he knows something."

A gentle hand covered one of hers, and she looked up to meet the eyes of the King, who was watching her with deep sympathy. "Don't worry about Regina. I'm sure she's just gotten off somewhere around here, and will show up any minute."

Cora sighed heavily, frowning as she looking back. This smirk was especially difficult to bite back. "I hope you're right. I just don't know what I would do if anything happened to her. Regina is my entire world, you see. It's just so hard to find a girl who could make her mother prouder." Cora felt the added touch was sweet, putting both the King and his snot-nosed offspring right into the palm of her hand— the easiest place to crush them.

Henry, however, stayed silent. She knew he was too afraid to comment on what she'd said, or to speak back to her, but it was really just pathetic how easily he let her walk over the situation. Yes, she really was going to enjoy this.

Just as she was about to go on, milking all she could out of the conversation while they awaited word, the door to their right banged open.

"Your highness," a guard said, approaching her only after she waved him forward.

"Have you located my daughter?" she asked, a hopeful glint to her tone.

The guard shifted on his feet, clearly afraid to tell her what he had discovered in the stables. She'd been so meticulous, so careful to plan it all out accordingly, that she didn't blame the man for his squandered fear. Everyone knew the consequences of telling Cora Mills something they didn't believe she wanted to hear.

"No, Regina was nowhere to be found. But…" he trailed off, shaking in his boots before them.

"Come now, out with it, boy. It won't do well to make a mother worry longer than she needs to. What has become of Regina?" This time it was the King who spoke up, gathering the attention of anyone who hadn't already been listening in on the conversation and making Cora smirk with satisfaction.

"We went back to the stables to ask the stable boy, but he wasn't there. One of the horses was missing, and there were things thrown about everywhere, as if some sort of struggle persisted."

"Is that all?" Cora drawled, hoping the boy wasn't as useless as he seemed.

"No, we found this." He held up a small pink flat shoe that Regina had been wearing a lot recently. It was the key piece of the puzzle, the one thing that would act on her side without dispute, and she wished she could pat herself on the back for thinking of it but frowned upon the open display of affection.

"Boy, go to the village and summon up a searching party. That is certainly my daughter's shoe." Cora waved a hand, dismissing the boy quickly, knowing nothing would come of his searches, no matter how hard he tried.

"You think she's run away with Daniel?" Snow asked, that dreamy look still in her eyes. Cora wanted to snatch it away and burn it right in front of her face, but knew she couldn't do such a thing with the King so close by.

"Without her shoe? No, Regina would never be so senseless." _Yes she would, _Cora thought to herself, because everything her daughter did was foolish and careless. It was the reason she had to be punished now, as she could no longer be trusted to carry out the marriage Cora was depending upon. Trying to sneak off with the help was unbecoming of a young lady, and Cora knew she needed to put an end to the very thought before it reflected poorly on her as well. "Besides, Dear, she's betrothed to your father. I fear that retched boy has taken her captive."

"I'm sure she'll be all right," the King tried, comforting her with another pat on the hand. Cora returned her gratitude with a "kind" smile, slipping in enough syrupy sweetness to drown them all.

"I just don't know what I'll do without her. Henry, perhaps you should take to the woods. He couldn't have gotten far, could he?"

She saw the flicker of hesitation in his eyes as he sized her up quietly, likely looking for an angle to spin her words off, but Cora knew she didn't have to worry; his concerns over their daughter's well being would easily win out over any thoughts of what she might be trying to do to him. And refusing to go, well, the coward would never wish to look bad in front of the King, even if he did wish to spite her.

"Yes, of course. If you truly think Regina's been taken captive." Henry jumped to his feet, looking as though he was ready to move into action, but she could see the second guessing of every step. For an imbecile, Cora had to commend him here. He acted as though he knew he'd be soon marching off to his own death.

"Oh, I just know she has. Someone needs to save her, Dear. I don't even want to think what might be done to her if we're too late." Cora covered her face with her hands, pretending to weep while simultaneously covering her smirk from sight. She hated displays if weakness, but figured this once it would be acceptable. Her part to play was that of the distraught mother, and distraught mothers were notorious weepers.

"What might be done to her, Father?" a small voice asked. It was Snow, now suddenly showing concern and breaking out of her happy love daze, just as Cora had hoped she would.

Silence fell, aside from the muffled sound of Cora's cries, and she felt a hand on her back touching her shoulder very carefully. She didn't have to look to know from the hesitant motions that it was her husband, trying to look the part of the comforter he never could fulfill. Cora wanted to cringe, to scream at him for the act when it was so far from the truth. The only thing that man was good for was his status, and even now that didn't hold enough appeal for Cora to continue holding on.

"Things I hope you never have to hear about, Snow," Leopold finally replied. Cora peeked through her parted fingers, witnessing the sight of the man taking his daughter into his arms, both with looks of worry on their faces. Cora smirked— she had them right where she wanted them, puddles to mold and gain pity from with nothing more than a simple look.

She hadn't lied, exactly. The stable was absolutely a mess, Regina was being held captive, and she was surely going to have many glorious acts done to her body over the course of the days to come. Cora's smile grew malicious as she thought of the girl, still hidden away in the cell right under their noses. Of course, no one would ever bother to check there. That was no place for a princess to take residence, and so a kidnapping would easily become a believable story.

"Henry, you should go," Cora said coldly, removing her hands to look up at her husband for one final time, and it felt like one time too many as she did.

"Right. I'll return by sundown," he said, looking at everyone carefully, like a last silent plea for Regina to turn up when he knew it could never be the case.

"Goodbye, Dear," Cora called, watching with baited breath as he finally stepped from the confines of the room.

An unexpected tugging of her sleeve brought Cora's attention down, and she noticed it was young Snow who now remained at the side of her chair, unshed tears in her eyes.

"I'm sure he'll find Regina, don't you think? It will all be all right."

"Oh, Snow," Cora spoke sadly, watching the girl who was about to lose a second mother-figure look at her hopefully. She imagined comfort from another person was supposed to sound a bit more comforting than that, but Cora didn't add anything. Instead, she wrapped her arms around the princess, tucking the girl's dark curls beneath her chin. It almost reminded her of when Regina had been younger and always sought her out for consolation, even though she knew none would be given.

"I hope you're right, dear Snow. I just spoke to Regina last night, and I know she was so happy to be joining your family and becoming your mother."

"Well, Cora, you seem to me like a wonderful mother. I'm sure Regina has learned well enough from you to get back and impart that wisdom down to my daughter."

_Yes_, Cora thought, her wisdom would certainly be imparted on young Snow. In time, they would all realize it just wouldn't be Regina doing so. And as she wrapped her arms tighter around Snow, Cora saw how Leopold looked on approvingly.

She was so close, she could taste it. Now all her idiotic husband had to do was die and try not to mess that up.

* * *

_Fairy Tale Land: Past_

It took a considerable amount of time, but eventually Regina's eyes began to adjust in the darkness just enough for her to make out her surroundings. She was on the ground, sitting in a pile of damp straw that lined the floors of her mother's prison cell. Few knew this even existed, as it had been a part of their home rarely used. Cora had a tendency for preferring a much more immediate means of punishment. It was with that thought in mind that Regina begrudgingly began to admit to herself that no one would be coming for her.

She could make out the shape of a small cot in the corner of the cell, likely ruined with age. Regina could already feel the effects of the dust and straw mixing with the damp air and wreaking havoc on her sinuses. She considered moving to the cot to get away from some of the irritating straw, but couldn't find the will within herself to move. Somehow the metal bars holding her captive were more than constricting enough.

_Daniel is dead._

That's all her mind was able to repeat, over and over on a loop. Regina was in disbelief, still able to remember how his lips felt pressed against her own, how he would tenderly hold her while she cried, and how his voice was strong and soothing when she needed it to be. How could someone she remembered so clearly, felt so deeply, suddenly be gone? It didn't make sense— none of it did. They were to be married, and she was going to get her happily ever after with her true love.

But her kiss hadn't woken Daniel from his slumber. Regina hadn't been enough, and she never was enough.

Her mother was right; she was entirely worthless to the world now. Without Daniel, there was no reason to fight. With the bars containing her, there was no light at the end of the tunnel, no chance of escape from a life of solitude and punishment under Cora's control.

Daniel was dead, and she was left alone to grieve him.

Regina's mind tried to play back the night before. Or maybe it still was the very same night; there was no sense of time left within these dark walls and everything blurred together. She could have been imprisoned for five minutes or five days— there was no way of knowing, and finding out would only make her hunger feel worse.

She recalled that one moment of happiness where Mother had seemed like she would accept Regina's marriage to Daniel. It had been blissful agony, seeing something she do desperately craved, only to have it used as a trap against her. His heart was nothing but dust, crushed between the very same fingers Mother often used to… punish her. Regina wasn't sure where she went wrong, exactly. She had been so careful, telling no one but Snow of her plans.

But that was it, the key right there. No one but Snow White had knowledge of her love for Daniel, and she had been so cautious to keep her mother from suspecting anything. The only way she could have known was if Snow had spilled her secret.

Regina felt anger flare in her chest, a feeling she was somewhat unfamiliar with. It was more than just the way she would feel as a child having a tantrum. This burst felt like a fire, a mixture of hate and rage all bubbling together inside her, and it threatened to break out and burn them all down. She immediately both despised the sensation and clung to it, needing to feel something other than the immense pain of her loss.

Snow White was the reason she was in this hell; she was the lock holding Regina's prison door closed. The little brat needed to pay. She needed to feel the pain she had caused when she opened her mouth. Mother had no choice. Mother did what she had to do to give her daughter what was best, and Regina could see that now. It was Snow White who made Cora believe Regina needed to be punished. It was her who painted Daniel to be a disease in need of eradication.

Regina released a scream, anger seeping from her veins as she pictured the girl's head on a pike. She was a murderer and a liar who couldn't keep a secret if her own life depended on it. Regina imagined all the things her mother had done to her being done to Snow. It was such an easy sight to picture, especially when she considered how Cora had revealed her plan to be Queen. A deep, deluded chuckle bubbled up through Regina's lips as she thought of how Snow would be getting the new mother she so desperately wanted after all. There was no thought spared for if Cora's plan didn't work out; Regina was more than accustomed to the fact that Cora never lost unless she wanted to lose.

"Hello, darling," a deep voice suddenly purred through the darkness, and though she couldn't make the figure out, Regina knew from the way the hairs stood up on the back of her neck that it was Cora.

She stayed silent but knew her involuntary sniffles from the cold air would give her location away to the crazed woman.

"What, not even so much as a thank you? I thought you'd be happy not to have to marry the King now, Regina." She heard every step as Mother approached, jumping when a hand landed sharply across her cheek with a loud crack.

"I- I am, Mother," Regina managed to sputter, wary of her answers and what Cora would do with her now that she had surely taken care of her plans.

"Good girl," she whispered, lightly trailing her fingertips over the stinging area of Regina's face. If there had been light, she was certain it would be bright red by now. She felt a hot breath against her lips, signaling that Cora had moved closer, and Regina was beginning to make out the shape of her body as she adjusted to the change. "It won't be much longer now," Cora mused.

"Until what?" Under normal circumstances, Regina wouldn't dare question her mother. Now, however, she knew it was all part of the game. Cora wouldn't be here if she didn't want to tell her everything, every little detail of how she would hurt her and pick her life apart at the seam. Everything moved only as Cora willed it to move.

In lieu of an answer, Cora pressed her lips roughly against Regina's, parting them moments later and taking Regina's bottom lip between her teeth. She kneaded and sucked, making the lower lip throb and the sound of it echoed through Regina's head. Pulling away with a satisfied pop, Cora chuckled. "Until I can take you as mine, and no one will be around to stop me," she whispered. "You see, in a few hours time, they'll find your father's body, and his hand will be wrapped around your blood-covered cloak. No one will even question what's happened, how Daniel's taken off, murdered you, and then killed him when he found you both a few miles out in the woods."

Regina's shock must have been apparent, because she could almost hear Cora seething through the darkness at her. Most of that was to be expected, and even her own death being faked wasn't entirely surprising, as much as it bothered her. But Regina hadn't accounted for the very obvious fact that her father would die.

"Daddy?" she whispered, close to tears again.

"Don't tell me you'll miss that imbecilic man, Regina? You're much better than that. How could you miss a man who never even stood up for his little princess? All the times he watched me touch you and wrap my fingers so tightly around your neck I thought you might break, and he never did a single thing to stop me. He never protected you, my love."

She knew the words were meant to manipulate, to cause her more pain, but Regina couldn't help finding the truth in them. Everything Cora said was right; he had never done a thing to help her, and he hadn't even shown her love unless they were hidden far out of Cora's grasp on rare occasions. It stung to hear the truth acknowledged, because she loved him very much. But Regina could do nothing to squelch the feeling of betrayal that boiled in her belly when she realized she was no better off with him dead or alive.

At least in death she might be able to understand why he never could come to her rescue.

"You're right. I don't care what you do to him," she managed to say without bursting into tears at the reality of her words.

"And what should I do, Regina? What can I do to him to keep you from having to marry that horrible King? How can we punish him for letting you get hurt?" Cora cooed.

"Kill him," she breathed.

Of all the responses Regina was expecting, a sharp stinging across the palm of her hand, followed by a cloth being pressed into it, was not even remotely on the list. She hissed as the pain hit her and the realization of what it meant settled in. Cora needed her blood on the cloak to feign her death, and though she could have just as easily killed a cow to get some, she chose the painful route.

Regina would forever have a hand in her father's death.

"Oh, Regina. I fully intend to."

This time, when the lips pressed against hers, they were softer. Cora was being gentle, satisfied with having gotten what she wanted, and Regina found herself unable to resist returning the kiss. She craved the affection, no matter how she got it, and the darkness only made her want it more.

"Enough," Cora husked, pulling away firmly once Regina started to respond. "There will be time for that later, my love."

When she heard the other woman stand, Regina frowned, her head finally clearing enough to bring her back to the reality of her situation and the startling fact that her mother was leaving her again. Before she left, though, something round was pressed into Regina's palm. She felt it in confusion, trying to discern what was hard in some spots, yet squishy in others.

"It's an apple, for your dinner," Cora explained, as if she'd read Regina's mind. The voice was getting further away, and soon she couldn't even hear the clacking of heels any longer.

The apple, she soon realized, was softer in spots because it was rotten. She cringed at the thought of tasting something so vile that not even the animals would touch, yet her stomach growled loudly. Regina shrugged, figuring she couldn't be sick from it if she hadn't eaten in far too long, and held the rotten fruit to her lips before digging in.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed and would love to hear what you thought. Some of you left comments of fear that what I said in the last chapter meant I wouldn't be continuing this, but that is not the case at all! I have a huge chunk already written, I just fear it may have to be moved to a different location due to the explicit content coming up, but if I do I will warn you all first. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Once.

WARNINGS: Gruesome things ahead.

Author's note: It is earlier than usual but I am leaving in a few short hours to go out of town for the week and wanted to get this up for you all before then. Enjoy! We are getting closer to Swan Queen. Thank you for your kind reviews.

Also, Henry is 5 in this. Why? Because I thought he would be cuter that way.

* * *

_Present: Storybrooke_

Emma hiked down the stairs, trying to catch up to her energetic five year old before he could reach the diner and cause unimaginable chaos in his early morning scramble for food. They had spent the night at a place called Granny's since it was the only available inn Storybrooke apparently had to offer, and she hadn't had enough time to secure a place to live before leaving on such short notice. She would have felt bad about making Henry sleep in a hotel, but honestly, the rooms weren't much smaller than their old apartment. He seemed to be viewing it all as some exciting adventure, so rather than tear down his fun, she let him have his moment.

Underneath Granny's Bed and Breakfast was a little diner, and the older woman had informed her it was just about the only place in town to get a decent meal. The smell of pancakes wafting through the air as she neared was uplifting. If this would be the only place they got any food for the next couple of weeks, Emma was damn certain it would have to be good, and the smell was as good a sign as any.

"Morning!" the chipper waitress with the red hair yelled from over the counter. Emma made it down just in time to see her son bounding up to her and trying to hoist himself onto one of the high counter chairs in order to get a better view.

_What a little ladies man_, Emma thought, grinning to herself as she came up behind her son and hoisted him up so he could take a seat at the counter. Emma had to admit, at least he had good taste. The woman was a little young for her standards, but she was nice to look at, and Emma always did have a certain soft spot for brunettes.

"Hi! Sorry about that," Emma apologized, looking down at her son who was already chatting away to the waitress, completely oblivious to whether or not she was actually able to keep up with a word he was saying.

"Ruby," she said with a smile, holding out a hand for Emma to shake. Henry, of course, took advantage of this opportunity and grabbed it before Emma could have a chance to respond, giving the waitress his very best "manly" shake he could muster.

"I'm Henry," he announced, grinning proudly.

"Well, Henry," Ruby said with a smirk as she leaned down to be closer to his level, "what can I get you for breakfast?"

"Hmmm," he began, holding a finger to his chin dramatically, as if this would be a tough decision for the boy who literally wanted the exact same thing every morning. "I think I will have … Do you have chocolate chip pancakes?" he asked. Emma wanted to snort at how polite he was acting. Oh yeah, her son took being a charmer to the next level when he wanted to. If only she could get him to behave that well when it was just her.

"That all?" Ruby asked.

"And a hot chocolate. With whipped cream. And cinnamon, please," Henry finished, adding in a dazzling little smile at the end.

"You got it. And for you?" This time, Ruby was looking up at Emma .

"I'll have the same," Emma said, not wanting to complicate it. And yeah, maybe Henry's breakfast plan just sounded really good. She could at least try and pretend that it was merely for the sake of convenience, right?

"Two orders of chocolate chip pancakes and two hot chocolates, with the works. Coming right up!" The chipper brunette disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Emma alone with Henry for the time being. She felt like there were eyes on her, and being skilled in her job, didn't want to risk looking around. Being watched was a terrible feeling, and it was beginning to make Emma feel nervous.

"Henry," she whispered, leaning down to the boy's ear, "are we being watched?"

The one thing her son had evidently not inherited from her was her ability to be subtle. He twisted in his chair, looking around quite obviously while Emma blushed in embarrassment. So maybe asking him hadn't been her brightest idea. Leave it to Henry to attract even more attention in their direction.

"Hey Ruby, why is everyone staring at us?" he blurted out the moment the waitress was back from the kitchen.

She seemed taken aback by the question for a moment before a smile spread across her face. "Really, guys? Come on, stop staring at the newbies. You'll scare them away!" Ruby yelled, getting the attention of every person in the diner who wasn't already infatuated with them. Emma was pretty sure she wanted to sink into the floor. So much for finding a place to blend in, away from it all. On the flip side, everyone did seem to listen to the waitress' words, and after staring for another moment, they all turned back to their conversations.

"Sorry about that…" Ruby trailed off, and Emma realized this was the part where she was supposed to supply her name.

"Emma Swan."

"Nice to meet you, Emma. Like I said, sorry. We don't get a lot of visitors around here, so it's quite an anomaly when we do, and some people just don't know how to not stare."

"It's fine." Emma shrugged. The idea of everyone thinking of her as the new town toy was a little disconcerting, but she knew she'd have to deal with it. Henry didn't even seem fazed by the fact that they were now the center of attention, so it couldn't be too bad.

Ruby walked a few steps away, working a machine to pour out two steaming cups of hot chocolate, quickly setting to work on the requested toppings. "So tell me, Emma Swan, what brings you here? No offense, but Storybrooke isn't exactly optimal vacationing territory," Ruby remarked.

Emma wasn't one for small talk. In fact, she hated it, and unfortunately it seemed like a very integral part of this town, if what she'd seen so far was anything to go by. Everyone was so friendly; they knew everything about each other and seemed to have no respect for privacy. The entire concept was bizarre, yet welcoming in a weird sort of way that made her feel uneasy but desperate to understand.

"Why not?" Henry piped in, ignoring the fact that the question from the "pretty lady" hadn't been directed at him at all.

"Well, not a lot happens around here. I've lived here my entire life and never even passed the town line. How boring is that?" Ruby whined, leaning against the counter to hand Henry his drink. Emma's was slid across to her, and she accepted it with a grateful smile.

"Pretty boring, I guess," Henry frowned, and Emma was quick to jump on that before the comment could change his mind, which had so far been highly in favor of the move.

"I don't know, Henry. This morning I looked out our window and saw Superman run by. It can't be that boring, can it?"

Henry fixed her with a look, _the look,_ that told her he was not buying one bit of her crap, no matter how much she tried to sell it for.

"Nice try, Mom." Again, his attention turned back to Ruby, and Emma was left to enjoy her cocoa for a moment in peace.

"We're here because Mom's gonna be the new deputy," he told her proudly, and Emma felt her chest swell at the endearment. She hadn't always been the best provider for her son, doing the most kid friendly jobs and the like, but Emma had always done her best to make sure he was safe and loved. It wasn't perfect, but he seemed to still love her and had all his limbs still in place, so it was a nice motivator to wake up each morning when she knew her son would still be smiling at her no matter what shit happened outside their home.

"Very cool. Sheriff Graham's a good guy. You two will enjoy him," Ruby said with a smile.

"Order up!"

Ruby walked away and grabbed two heaping plates off the window-counter area separating them from the kitchen. She quickly set them down in front of Emma and Henry, laughing at their twin looks of glee when they took in the amount of oozing chocolate.

"So, where are you from, anyways?" Apparently the small talk was continuing.

"Boston," Henry said through a mouth full of pancakes. Emma looked over at him with a glare, reminding her son to chew before speaking. At least he had the good graces to look guilty at having been caught in such a compromising position in front of the waitress.

"Wow, Boston to Storybrooke. I can see how that's a logical choice right there," Ruby joked, though Henry seemed to take her completely seriously as he just nodded in agreement.

"My mom says that we're coming here because it's safer and the people are nicer. Is she right?"

Ruby opened her mouth to reply, slightly surprised by the answer, and Emma could tell there was something more she wanted to say before the door burst open. A bell rang loudly through the diner, and unlike before when Ruby had seemed so relaxed around the patrons, the young waitress stood to attention and moved down the counter to prepare a cup of coffee.

"Miss Lucas, my usual if you please."

Emma looked over and took in the sight of a slightly older woman dressed in a power suit. She stood next to the cash register, wallet already out to pay for her order and Emma took advantage of the moment to size her up. There was something about this woman that she couldn't quite put her finger on, but it was leaving Emma with a niggling sensation in the back of her mind. She was gorgeous, that was certain, but there was an icy chill the woman gave off that was enough to turn anyone away— even the affections of little Henry.

"Coming right up, Madame Mayor."

_So she's the mayor, huh?_ Emma gulped, not intent on having to deal with this particular woman anytime soon. Unfortunately, that didn't seem to be a choice up to her, as Henry was already waving at her from his seat, completely oblivious to the tension in the room around them.

Curiously, the woman approached them both, eyes squinting down as she looked them over. She gave Emma one of those annoying checks other women sometimes did, where she took in her clothing choices and cringed to show her lack of approval. Emma disliked her already and not a word had been spoken.

"Hello, I'm Cora Mills, Mayor of this town. You appear to be new. Are you travelers?" Her tone sounded sweet enough, but Emma couldn't quite shake the feeling that there was something much darker behind it.

"Emma Swan," she said, reaching out to meet the offered hand. Emma steeled her face against a cringe when she felt her fingers crushed in a vice grip, but she maintained it, not wanting to appear weak to the woman who would technically be her new boss. "And no. I'm the new deputy for the sheriff's department. We just got in last night."

"I see," Cora spoke. Her eyes drifted over to Henry who was in the middle of stuffing a huge piece of pancake into his mouth. At having gained her attention, Henry dropped his fork with a loud clatter. He beamed a smile in the Mayor's direction, yet-to-be-swallowed pancakes puffing out his cheeks like a little chipmunk. Emma inwardly groaned, recognizing that smile for what it was and wishing she could get his attention back to the waitress, because that was the look of a little boy with a brand new "pretty lady" and not one Emma really wanted to have to deal with.

"Hi! I'm Henry Swan," he announced proudly. Emma was relieved that he at least had the decency to swallow first, though it wouldn't have been too shocking had he not. Her little boy could charm the pants off just about anyone, but god forbid he practice some manners once in a while.

Of course, her relief came a moment too soon, as one of his syrup covered sticky hands reached out in Mayor Mills' direction, fully intending to shake as he had with Ruby. Emma took her bottom lip between her teeth, biting down as she watched Cora slowly look down as her face morphed into disgust.

"Charming," she remarked with a grimace, instead settling for patting him once on the head. Emma almost snorted. While she understood better than anyone not wanting to touch the kid's sticky fingers— how had he managed to get so much on them so quickly anyways?— there wasn't any way her reaction could have been any colder if she'd flat out ignored him. Henry, however, seemed oblivious and just smiled wider.

"Deputy Swan, if you have in fact actually been hired yet, that is. It would do you well to remember your place in this town. I keep a tight ship, after all, and I wouldn't want that getting in the way of any of your… fun." Emma had never encountered artificial sweetness in such high doses before, but Cora seemed to be positively dripping in it. How had she managed to piss her off so quickly? "And really, dear. Do something about that boy while you can."

Emma was not expecting those words, but she was sure as hell ready to fight her over them, Mayor or not. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately for Cora, Ruby chose that moment to hand the woman her to-go cup of coffee. Without so much as a goodbye, she pivoted and walked out the door, shoving an unfortunate patron to the side without even flinching.

"I know what you're thinking, and no."

"Huh?" Emma looked to Ruby, still too stunned by what transpired to put her puzzling words together.

"Mayor Mills. She's always like that. Most people around here call her the dragon lady, but you didn't hear that from me."

"Dragons are cool!" Henry exclaimed, bouncing up and down in his seat.

"No way, kid. You have it all wrong. Dragons are angry and hotheaded. What you need is a good old werewolf…"

* * *

_Past: Fairy Tale Land_

Cora wept softly into her handkerchief, feigning the demeanor of a lady trying to compose herself as she magically created a few delicate tears to roll down her cheeks. She was now playing the part of the grieving mother and widow. A servant boy had awoken her for breakfast with a panicked look on his face, and she knew they had discovered Henry's body. It was more disappointing than anything that it had taken all night, after she'd sent some of them to go search when he didn't return by sundown.

Another hour and she would have poofed herself into the woods to "happen upon" the dead fool herself.

Cora's memories of the night before were quite fond. After her visit to Regina, she had made her way into the woods. She didn't bother disguising herself. There was nothing more satisfying than knowing that he would know exactly what was coming for him. As expected, Henry was startled to see her appear, but seemed grateful at first. Apparently the old man was lost in the woods, having been too filled with worry over Regina that he lost track of himself.

She imagined it was her silent smile that tipped him off at first. As soon as he saw it his words stopped and his little legs began to shake. She cringed as the bulge in his neck shifted with an accompanying gulp. Henry was very well aware that it was his time to die.

Looking back, she figured he deserved it. The coward never even tried to run, not because he seemed prepared to stand up for himself or fight back— he hadn't even tried to plead for his life during those very final moments— but because he was too busy simply staring at her. The meek excuse for a man didn't even possess enough strength to question his own death; he just stood there and took it as if he was already gone.

Yes, Henry deserved that death. Life only belongs to those willing enough to take it.

Regina at least possessed some fight to her, so Cora saw her fit to live in some way. She didn't deserve a life of her own anymore, though, as she had proven herself incapable of making the right decisions. Now she would be all Cora's to mold and to play with, like a pet, and those decisions she couldn't be trusted with would float away with her supposed death.

But Henry, with all his years of pent-up frustration and anger he could have taken out on her, did nothing. When she plunged her hand into his chest, aside from a squeak of pain, he made no sound, no effort to pull away. Crushing the glowing organ felt almost too easy, as she didn't need it to control him. Henry was just a vessel, never out to stop her, but never out to love her either. He was weak, relying on his love for Regina. That had led him out into the woods and then to his death.

"Oh, Henry. How many times have I had to tell you, dear. Love is weakness, and you're far too weak, you foolish man." She had laughed after saying as much, then squeezed, watching his tiny little heart turn to dust that fell through the cracks between her fingers.

He collapsed to the ground with a pathetic thud, lying as a lump in death just the same as he had in life. Utterly worthless.

As a final gesture of spite, Cora bent down to the ground and yanked his pants low enough to display his member— short and fat, just like him. She had despised this particular part of their marriage most of all, so it was with the utmost satisfaction that she grabbed it in a vice grip between her fingers, yanked it up, and sliced it off from the base with a knife produced in her hand with magic. It was the final insult, stripping him of the manhood he never truly had.

She placed the castrated cock between his lips, leaving it there entirely exposed. She would never miss that rubbish appendage. With a final glance over his dead corpse, Cora pulled out the bloody cape and stuck it in his hand for safe keeping. He would be found with it in the morning, someone would confirm it belonged to Regina, and conclusions would be drawn. Satisfied with her plan, Cora turned around and surrounded herself with purple smoke that took her back to her quarters where she slept peacefully the whole night through.

Now, the next morning, she was forced to cover herself in black and make her way out from her chambers like the perfect grieving widow. Surely by now the King and his daughter were well aware of the "tragic" circumstances, and it would only be a matter of time before the final steps of her plan could be put into action.

"Cora, I've been searching for you. I wish to offer you my most sincere condolences, truly. I know that when my beloved Eva died, there was much pain in my heart, and I could never imagine my little Snow going…" the King trailed off, overcome with tears of his own.

"Shh," Cora whispered, covering his hand with her own. He had moved close to comfort her, only making this so much easier to do. "You don't need to go on, Your Majesty. I understand the sentiment." Cora looked up, meeting his eyes with her own tear-filled ones. She only allowed them to fall once she had his full attention.

"If there is anything you need, anything at all, you shall ask. After all, we were about to become family. Tragedy shouldn't change that," he spoke kindly.

"Yes, well, it appears I'm now at a loss. I'm completely on my own." Cora cued a well placed sob, all but forcing the King to place an arm around her. She knew he was hesitating for the sake of propriety, but a man who claimed to be so kind-hearted would never be able to resist comforting a distraught woman.

"Will you be able to manage?"

"I- I don't know what I'll do without them. I fear there is nothing left for me in this world, now."

Cora waited silently, and surely enough, he took the bait right out of the water.

"Don't say that. You are a beautiful, vibrant woman."

She sniffled, dabbing at a nonexistent tear with the corner of her handkerchief. "I was a mother. There is nothing else my heart knows how to be. I fear without my Regina, I will be nothing." Even as the words left her lips, Cora wanted to cringe. Love? Fear? Those were just the silly side effects of having a heart so weak. She barely recalled what the sensations were even like.

"Then you shall come with me," he stated firmly, clasping both his hands firmly around Cora's.

"What do you mean?"

"My daughter still needs a mother, Cora. It is unfortunate what has become of Regina, but that doesn't change the fact that Snow is a growing girl with many questions. She needs a proper woman to look to."

"And you want that to be me?" If she sounded incredulous, it's because she was. Cora wanted to laugh in his face, knowing all the things she had in mind for his precious little Snow White.

"Would you be up for it? I know this is all so sudden, but as you've said, there is nothing for you here."

"I don't know…" Cora looked down, frowning sadly. She was so close to having him right where she needed him to be. "Would it not look completely scandalous for me to be living there on my own? I won't be looked upon as a concubine, Your Majesty, and I'm certainly not about to take on the title of a nurse." She felt mildly disgusted at the thought.

He seemed to hesitate for a moment, opening and closing his mouth several times in thought before finally answering. The King got down on one knee, as he had only days before to a much younger carbon copy of the same woman, and began to recite his proposal.

"Then, Cora, would you do me the honor of becoming my Queen?"

"Oh, Your Majesty…" … _I already have you eating out of the palm of my hand._

"I understand if this feels too soon and you want to say no, of course. I would never force you to forget your husband so soon, and I wouldn't even ask if we didn't need to be leaving within the week. As king, it is my duty to protect my people, and leaving a widow to look after such a large estate on her own would be dishonorable of me."

She smiled, allowing some of the constant tears to dissipate. "I would be honored, Your Majesty." Cora bowed in a show of respect, longing for the throne she was now so close to she could practically taste.

"Excellent. Snow will be thrilled to hear of it. Snow!" he called. Only a moment later, the small girl bounced her way into the room, respectfully wearing black like the rest of the household. Leopold looked down at the girl before bending to be at her level.

"Snow, my dear, I have a surprise for you. Cora is going to be your new mother."

"You are?" Snow asked curiously, looking up to Cora for confirmation.

"That I am, dear Snow," Cora spoke happily. She didn't want to seem overly enthusiastic— her family did just parish after all— but Cora couldn't do much to hide that tiny bit of glee threatening to burst out with her success. "Are you all right with that?"

"Oh, yes, very much so!" Snow smiled at her before running up and engulfing her in a hug. The urge to push the clingy child away had to be pushed aside for the greater good of the plan. "I know you must be sad, but don't worry. You can be a part of our family now. I'm sure you'll be a wonderful mother, Cora."

The syrupy sweetness of it all was positively sickening, but for the moment she decided to play along. Snow would trust her, look up to her, and when they least expected it, Cora would crush her and ruin the girl forever, just as she had desired to do to her mother.

Snow would be her favorite to inflict destruction upon.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Still working on owning Regina but it hasn't happened yet.

TWs: This chapter is actually fairly light on them in comparison but there are moments where abuse is apparent.

Author's Note: Hello my lovelies! I went from vacation and right back to a new semester of classes so sorry for the delay. I hope you enjoy this chapter with lots of cute young Henry to make up for it. *sing-song* Swan Queen is getting clooooser. *evil laugh* but not before I rip your hearts to shreds.

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_Present: Storybrooke_

Henry looked down at his new puppy Elsie, a small black ball of fluff, and smiled as she wagged her tail up at him in excitement.

"Good girl, Elsie." He smiled before reaching down to pet the little pup. Elsie was the newest addition to the Swan Family after his mom rescued her during her first day on duty. She was found abandoned in an alley and the local shelter was already full, so Emma got Granny to agree to let them have the pup at the inn for the next two days. If they could find a place to move into by then, they could keep the dog, provided she didn't destroy anything in the meantime.

Henry was already growing fond of the older woman, having never had a grandmother-like figure in his life before. The change was nice.

Emma hadn't just handed over the pup, of course. She'd made Henry agree to a list of responsibilities he would need to perform in order to take care of her. None of them seemed too difficult, though, and Henry knew the puppy was more a pity gift than anything— not that he ever planned on telling Emma that. If she wanted to think he wouldn't notice, he'd let her.

One of those responsibilities was to walk Elsie every single day, because apparently even little dogs need a lot of exercise. Storybrooke Elementary School was only in session for a few days before the first weekend hit, so now Henry had two whole days to spend before he'd have to go back to his new Kindergarten class. He wasn't sure how he felt about it yet. The kids weren't mean to him or anything, but they acted like he was some sort of strange novelty, as apparently nobody new ever came to Storybrooke.

After feeling like all the kids were more interested in staring at him than in befriending him for the past few days, Henry had been looking forward to spending the weekend with Emma. Unfortunately, his mom was called in on a Saturday morning emergency, so he was left to the watchful eyes of that pretty waitress lady.

The lunch crowd had made it all too easy to slip away, though, and Henry didn't care to ask before heading out to take his new puppy on her daily walk. His only thoughts were on Emma's strict warnings about making sure she got out several times a day, and he decided it was time to check the walking portion of that off his list. She would surely be so proud of him for being responsible and taking care of Elsie so well, maybe she'd even treat him to a movie night.

"Where should we go, girl?" Henry was pretty sure he saw a park nearby the other day with Emma. If only he could remember which way it was…

_Thud._

Henry hit the ground, tripping over his own untied shoelace. He felt the tears welling up but reigned them in, sniffling lightly. He was a big boy now, he remembered, and big boys are supposed to get back up, tie their laces, and keep on going. With that thought in mind, Henry set the end of the leash down by his side and set to work fixing the knot.

He bit his bottom lip in concentration, looking down at the laces as he repeated the steps in his head. First tie the strings to give the bunny a head. Okay, check. Next, give the bunny his big floppy ears. Double check. Finally, he had to hold the bunny ears in place by crossing them and looping one back through the hole and pull it tight. Check, again. With a satisfied sigh, little Henry determined that his laces were firmly secured.

"See, Elsie. That wasn't so hard." He giggled, looking up to where he expected his puppy to be. Only, there was no small black ball of fur sitting there, and a quick glance to his side told Henry that the leash was gone as well. "Elsie?"

A small bark brought Henry's attention up, and he saw Elsie making her way down the sidewalk a few yards ahead. She didn't look like she was planning to stop and wait for him, so Henry jumped up from his crouched down position and took off running after her. His mom would not be happy if she got back and found out he lost his new dog already.

"Elsie! Elsie, girl! Come back!"

Henry yelled after the small pup every few seconds, panting as he tried to catch up. She seemed intent on heading in one specific direction, and not even the squirrel that ran out in front of her was enough to distract the pup from her mission. After a while, Henry decided there was no stopping Elsie until she got where she needed to go, so he resigned himself to trailing along behind.

A few minutes later, Henry decided he didn't appreciate this game anymore. He needed to stop and catch his breath, but that might mean losing sight of Elsie, and he couldn't risk letting that happen. He wasn't sure where he was anymore, taking in the bigger houses on this street of Storybrooke that were unfamiliar. Elsie was heading towards the biggest house Henry had ever seen— one with tall white pillars and bushes all around— when she turned and started heading through the grass towards the back yard.

"Elsieeeee," he whined. Henry figured this would be an appropriate time to mutter one of those words his mom always shouted when she got upset before she lectured him for half an hour on how he shouldn't repeat them, but he refrained as Elsie darted through a particularly tall hedge.

Henry stopped at the bush and hesitated. On the one hand, he figured Mom wouldn't like him entering a stranger's back yard without permission. But he couldn't see Elsie any longer, and she probably wouldn't like that either.

Making his mind up, Henry bravely pushed his way into the hedge, shoving a few stray branches aside to create a big enough gap to wiggle his tiny body through. He couldn't see Elsie, but there was a sweet sounding voice off to the side, and he was pretty sure he heard a familiar high-pitched bark accompanying it.

Eager to get his puppy back, Henry pushed the rest of the way through and stumbled into the yard. The giggling sound to his right immediately ceased and was replaced by a shocked gasp. He pivoted, taking in the view of Elsie still bouncing happily as if she hadn't just taken him on a much-too-long adventure and gotten them lost. Only, Elsie wasn't just by herself, but rather in the lap of a woman, who was gaping at him like a floundering fish.

She looked to be a bit older than his mother, Henry thought, but he couldn't be too sure. She also was quite small and frail, curled up on a bench with a blanket despite the warm weather, which was just weird. Of what Henry could see, her skin was quite pale, but in a more olive way that still left her darker than him, despite the sickly tones. Her eyes were dark shades and sunken. There was a deep purple bruise across her cheek, and Henry wondered if maybe she fell down a lot like he did.

She finally stopped staring at him, only to cough roughly into her hand, and the woman just looked so sad that Henry couldn't resist moving closer to see if she was okay. If Elsie decided she was a friend, then Henry would like to think so as well.

"Hi, I'm Henry Swan. Who are you?" He held out his hand and watched as she looked down at it nervously, still coughing. He considered pulling his hand back, but Henry was taught to be polite, so he kept it out and waited patiently with a smile.

The way she kept watching his hand so carefully was strange to Henry. She acted like it might somehow harm her and skittishly held on closer to Elsie. Curious as to the woman's decidedly weird behavior, Henry opted to take the next step. He shrugged and put his arm back down, instead plopping down into the grass in front of her.

"So," Henry tried again since she had yet to answer him, "thank you for finding my dog. I accidentally forgot to hold onto her leash when I fixed my shoelace after I fell down."

She still remained silent, but he noticed her eyes looking down at his knee. Henry noticed for the first time that he had torn his jeans and scrapped his knee a bit, and there was a little blood seeping through around the edges. It was nothing major, and he'd done worse before, but the sight of it did remind him of how much it stung.

"Oh, you see my scrape? I must have skinned it when I tripped."

With one hand still firmly clasped around little Elsie, the woman stood up and limped her way over to him. She shook even as she crouched down, but her eyes met his carefully. He felt like he was looking into a dark void, almost frightened by the intensity, yet it also made him feel an immense and inexplicable need to protect her from something.

Henry noticed that she seemed afraid of something, and her eyes kept darting back to the house before they latched onto his knee again. She reached down for his injury, and Henry held his breath, unsure what she was planning to do to him. He knew he wasn't supposed to trust or talk to strangers, and that his Mom would have wanted him to run by now, but there was something about her he just couldn't leave.

Her fingers touched the edge of his knee, drawing it in closer to take a better look at the scrape. "Does it hurt?" she whispered, and it was so quiet Henry almost didn't pick up on the words. He did, though, and it was shocking to finally hear her deep raspy voice.

"No, it's all right. Just a little scrape, I promise." Truthfully, Henry was in a bit of pain from it, but he wasn't about to come off as a wimp to his new friend. The words seemed to put her at ease, and she relaxed next to him before taking a reluctant seat on the grass.

Elsie seemed to finally spot him and immediately starting yipping and wriggling in the woman's arms until she was released and able to bound into Henry's lap with a happy lick to his chin. "Down, girl," Henry said with a laugh, petting the pup behind the ears.

"What's her name?" the woman asked, this time raising her voice to an almost normal level.

"Elsie. I just got her yesterday when my mom rescued her from an alley. She's the new Deputy for the Sheriff's department, and we just moved here."

"She's very sweet," she said with a smile. Henry decided he liked seeing that look on her face, but it was unfortunately gone as soon as her gaze flickered back to the house.

"She likes you," he stated matter-of-factly.

"I like her, too."

"You hear that, Elsie," Henry said to the pup, "our new friend likes you, too." Elsie seemed equally excited by this news, if her bouncing in his lap was any indication.

The woman began her terrible coughing again, turning slightly to the side, but Henry could still see how it made her eyes water. He thought it sounded rather painful and wished his mom was around to soothe her the way she always soothed him when he got sick.

"Are you sick?" he asked. The woman seemed startled by the question and pulled back into herself. She shook her head vehemently, coughing roughly even as she did. Henry was tempted to argue her on this, but thought better of it when he realized she didn't seem to like the question. Maybe she was like his mom and just really stubborn about admitting any sort of weakness. He decided to try a different approach instead.

"What's your name?"

She watched him carefully for a moment and looked back at the house. He wasn't sure what she was looking for, but apparently she didn't find it when she turned back and told him, "Regina."

"That's a pretty name. There was a girl in my old preschool named Regina, but she liked to eat paste. You don't do that, do you?"

"No." She looked confused.

"Okay, then we can be friends, Regina." He decided he really liked the way she smiled this time. Determining that if they were friends, she could no longer be considered a stranger, Henry scooted closer across the grass.

"I've never had a friend," she admitted. Henry had a hard time believing this. She was still mostly covered with a blanket, but he was pretty sure she was quite beautiful, even if she was really shy. Henry knew he liked her, so surely other people had to.

"Never?"

Regina shook her head no.

"I bet my mom would like you. Then she could be your friend too, and you can have two friends."

Again, Regina seemed to flinch, but he paid no attention to it.

"She is super nice, and sometimes she tries to sound strict, but I know she'll still let me get away with pretty much anything I want. And she's also really smart, but most people don't think she will be. I don't know why. I think it's 'cause she doesn't want people to know how much she reads and stuff. If they underestimate her then she can surprise them."

"She sounds lovely," Regina said.

"Mhmm. What about you. Do you live with anyone?"

Regina's mouth floundered for an answer, eyes doing that thing again where they kept darting between him and the house. Before she could give him an answer, however, Henry heard his name being shouted in the near distance.

"Oops, that's my Mom. I was supposed to stay with Ruby, but I thought I would be back a lot faster," he admitted sheepishly. "It was really nice meeting you, Regina! Will you be here tomorrow? I'll try to come back then."

"I… I think I would like that, Henry."

"Good! Bye, Regina!"

Without warning, Henry sprung at Regina and wrapped his little arms around her chest. He didn't notice the way she tensed up, only hugged her tightly before releasing her to pick up Elsie's leash and running off back through the hedges.

"Bye, Henry."

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_Present: Storybrooke_

Emma was trying really hard not to panic, but as she rounded the corner of yet another street of houses, she was pretty sure Ruby would not be getting very nice tips for the rest of the week. She understood that Henry was a handful and it was easy for his tiny figure to slip away at the most inconvenient moments, but when she left him with others she did expect that he would still be there when she returned.

Today, that was not the case.

The "emergency" Graham called her in for was that a cat was up a tree and he needed someone more agile to climb up and retrieve it. She found that it was more an excuse for company than anything, but agreed to stick around for a few hours until lunch time. It was her day off, after all.

Of course, Emma hadn't expected that staying away so long would mean her son thought it was okay to just take off. The puppy and leash were gone, she noticed, which meant that Emma would probably have to reassess her lecture on dog care. Of course he didn't want to be irresponsible and had probably thought walking little Elsie was a good idea, but the kid was only five and in an unfamiliar town.

Emma was definitely about to panic.

"Don't worry, Emma. Storybrooke is a very safe town, and it's not that big. I'm sure we'll find him perfectly fine in no time."

The giver of the reassurances, which was only the most recent in a slew of many that were not very effectively keeping Emma calm, was a woman named Mary Margaret. She had been in Granny's at the time and overheard Emma freaking out on Ruby, who at least looked like she felt really bad about losing the kid. Mary Margaret, as it turned out, was a teacher for some of the older kids at Henry's school, and she was familiar with him and what he looked like. Happy to have another set of eyes, Emma accepted the woman's offer to come along before rushing out the door to begin her search.

In another part of town, the Sheriff was also searching, and between the three of them they planned to cover as much ground as possible.

"Henry!" Emma yelled at the top of her lungs, turning onto a street called Mifflin that was lined on both sides by the larger houses of Storybrooke.

"Finding him isn't what I'm worried about. I'm more concerned with what trouble a five year old and a puppy can get into on their own for an hour," Emma admitted. And there was still an underlying fear that the men out to get her might turn up in Storybrooke and take him, but that she didn't voice. They only wanted her gone, and this town was far enough away to appease them and let them be. She wouldn't be worth the search to those men, Emma knew, but the dear was still there.

"Henry!"

"Emma, that's the mayor's house. I doubt he'd be around here," Mary Margaret said. Emma noticed she looked uneasy even standing on the sidewalk out front, and she couldn't say she exactly blamed the meek teacher if her first meeting with the dragon lady was anything to go by.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Maybe we should go check the park? I think I saw him eying it up yesterday, and when the kid sets his sight on something, he tends to go for it." Emma sighed, taking one final glance around before turning to head in a new direction.

She was only about five steps away, however, when a high pitched barking sound from behind caught her attention. Emma couldn't be sure, but she was fairly certain that sound belonged to…

"Elsie!"

Sure enough, the bark sounded again, and Henry soon followed the small ball of fluff out from behind the Mayor's mansion with a wide smile across is unharmed face.

"Henry Milford Swan, get your _ass_ over here!" Emma yelled. She was more relieved to have found him than anything, but that didn't mean she was about to let him know that. Then the kid would get the idea that such behavior was okay, which it definitely wasn't. Emma was pretty sure she'd had about 5 years just scared right out of her life.

"Hi, Mom. What's up?" he asked, stopping in front of her with a sheepish smile on his face.

She knelt down and wrapped her arms tightly around him, holding the small boy close. "Kid, do you have any idea how terrified I was? You can't just run off like that, especially when we don't know this place very well yet. I had no idea where to even look."

Emma pulled back to look at him, checking him over for any signs of injury and stopping at his knee. "What happened here?" she asked a little more gently. Emma had to calm herself down and remember that Henry was just a kid, as she didn't intend to scare him to death too.

"I tripped. It's okay, it doesn't hurt. I just had to fix my shoelace, but then Elsie ran away and I followed her here," Henry explained.

Emma sighed, pulling him into another tight hug. "I'm just glad you're okay," she sighed. "Did you leave because you thought you had to walk Elsie?"

He looked down sheepishly after wriggling out of her death-grip hug. "Yes. I didn't want to be a bad pet owner. I'm sorry, Mommy." Oh, damn. He brought out the pout. She was never able to resist the pout.

"It's okay. You're okay so it's okay. But seriously, next time you think you need to go somewhere, find an adult to take you. I know I wasn't there and I'm really sorry, but Ruby didn't even know where you went. You're five, kid, and you really scared me."

"I know. I didn't mean to. I was gonna go right back but then…"

"Then you lost Elsie, I know. I'm glad you found her. Although, maybe next time the Mayor's back yard isn't the best place to go, huh?" Emma smirked, bringing a smile back to his guilty face.

"That's the mayor's house?" he asked.

"Well yeah, who else could afford to live somewhere so big?" Emma snorted, lifting her boy into her arms and wrapping the dog's leash around her wrist so she couldn't get away again. They started walking back towards Granny's, Mary Margaret trailing behind.

"I don't know." He looked off in thought, and she was about to question it when Mary Margaret piped up and reminded Emma that she was still walking with them.

"Emma, where are you guys staying?" she asked conversationally.

"We live at Granny's," Henry blurted out before Emma could explain their situation.

"Granny's?" she exclaimed, clearly put off by the idea of the family just living in a small little inn.

"We're still looking for an apartment. The move was a little unexpected," Emma explained.

"Well, you're not likely to find any place reasonable. Mr. Gold owns almost every place in town, and he charges a fortune to new renters."

"Great," Emma mumbled, groaning. That was definitely the last thing she needed to hear today.

"But, if you're interested, I am looking for a roommate," she offered sweetly.

Emma chuckled. "That's nice of you, but I think we constitute a bit more than a roommate. I couldn't ask you to take in me, my kid, and this little fluff ball."

"No, really," Mary Margaret persisted. "I have a spare room with more than enough room for two beds, and Elsie is more than welcome to stay. Please, at least until you find somewhere else? It's better than living at Granny's, and you'd be helping me out by paying half the rent."

Emma paused, thinking on it for a moment before looking to her son. "What do you think, Henry? Should we take up Miss Blanchard's offer?"

The little boy put a dramatic finger to his chin, looking back at the teacher with a skeptical eye before moving closer and whispering into Emma's ear that he agreed they should definitely do that because she seems "nice enough."

"Then it's settled," Emma declared, smiling down at her son. "If you'll have us, we'd love to."

"Great! Do you want to come by tonight, then? I can help you move your stuff."

"So soon? Well, most of our things are still in my bug, sans a few suitcases. I don't see why not. If you're really sure?"

"I am," Mary Margaret said. They walked along for a bit longer before Henry piped up in her arms again. He was getting a little too heavy to be held for so long, but Emma was still too shaken up to let go just yet. "Who does the Mayor live with?"

Unsure of the answer, or why her son was asking, Emma looked to Mary Margaret. The teacher, for her part, only looked confused by the question. "She doesn't live with anyone, Henry. Mayor Mills tends to stick to herself."

"I can't imagine why," Emma grumbled. "Why did you think she lived with someone, Henry?"

He pouted, and she knew an argument was coming. "But Regina lives there. She was in the back yard and caught Elsie for me. She's kinda shy, but then I said we could be friends and that you would probably be her friend too and that made her happy," Henry explained.

"Well, maybe she's a neighbor or something, kid. Or the gardener? People like Mayor Mills probably have lots of people working for her." Emma didn't understand Henry's fascination with this Regina person, but from the look on his face, her answer was unsatisfactory.

"Actually, I'm not aware of _anyone_ in Storybrooke named Regina. Are you sure you heard correctly, Henry?" Mary Margaret asked. Emma groaned at the "told you so" look on Henry's face. The kid lived for finding mysteries he could solve, and it appeared that he'd located his newest one.

"Positive," Henry said matter-of-factly. "She was really pretty, but didn't look happy and there was a big bruise on her face."

"A bruise, huh?" Emma had to admit that she did feel a bit concerned by that. What kind of people was her son hanging around, exactly?

"Mhmm, and she saw my knee and was really concerned about it. I like her, Mommy. She's nice. I tolded her I'd be back tomorrow."

"Oh, Henry, I don't know. I don't think you should be hanging around at the Mayor's place, kid. Besides, tomorrow I thought we would have a movie day, just the two of us. Or three, if Mary Margaret would like to join?" She looked over to her new roommate.

"I think that sounds lovely."

"Great, then it's settled."

Henry stayed silent in her arms but looked deeply concerned by this development.

Emma glanced back to the mansion. There was something unsettling about the place, and now Henry's claims of seeing a seemingly nonexistent person were starting to get to her. Storybrooke was supposed to be a nice little safe place for them, but already it felt as if something troublesome might be brewing.

She would definitely be keeping Henry away from that house, and maybe she'd ask the Sheriff on Monday if he knew anything about this mysterious woman.

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So so so what did you think? The next chapter will be filling in a lot more of the past in regards to Regina and Cora's relationship.


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